Fornia



E. P. SCHOLES.

RAILROAD SWH'CH.

APPLICATlON men mus. I920.

PatentedJune15,1920.

N NT R J8 ATTQBN -Y C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMOND P. SCHOLES, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FIFTH TO ABE GOLDEN, ONE-FIFTH 1'0 JACOB MARTIN, ONE-FIFTH T0 CHARLES LEAVELL. AND ONE-FIFTH T0 WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, ALL OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALI- FOBNIA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EmioNn I. Sonatas. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Railroad-Qwitehes, of which the following is a specification.

I have observed that many derailments of railroad cars, resultin in more or less serious wrecks, frequently occurs at the point where a switch is installed for the transfer of cars from one track to another At this point the switch rail tapers down to a point and lies fiat against the side of the head of the main rail, with the result that if the two rails are separated by any means during the passage of a car thereover while switching one truck of the car is liable to ass between the two rails and down the mam'track thereb resulting in a derailment of the car. 1 a train of cars is taking the switch rail at fairly high speed the derailment of one car may result in the wrecking of many others.

It is the object of my invention to provide a means whereby the switch rail and the main rail are automatically locked in parallel relation to each other at all times when thrown into close relation to each other by the operation of the switch. and thereby eflectually prevent the class of accidents above referred to.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a main rail with a switch rail operative] positioned with relation thereto and embo ying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on 2-2 of i 3 is a side elevation of the end of a switc t rail showing another embodiment of my invention.

ig. 4 is. sectional view on line 4-4 of eferring now more particularly to the drawin 1 indicates a main rail on ties 2, and 3 1s a switch rail pivoted at 4 and tarail .1 as shown when in an operative position. At 6 is shown the switch bar operated by a mechanism not shown and in the present case holding the switch rail 3 in an operative position. The switch bar 6 is con- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15,1920.

Application filed January 5, 1920. Serial No. 349.506.

nectcd to rail 3 in the usual manner by means of a bar 7 rigidly secured to bar 6 and securely bolted by bolt 8* to a bracket rigidly secured to rail 3.

have observed in this common form of switch construction the following facts: If, say, a. freight car is taking the switch the front truck Ipasses around the curve a dis tance as to tie point 9 while the rear truck is on the main rail as at point 10. The downward pressure of the car at point 10 tends to raise the rail 1 at the switch point 5, andthe inertia of the car taking the curve tends to tip the upper portion of rail 1 outwardly as indicated by the dotted line 11 in Fig. 2 with relation to its normal position 11. At the same time the weighted point 9 of switch rail 3 tends to raise the pointed end thereof, but since this point is anchored only upon the one side by the bolt 8 this tendency to raise results in a twisting of the point-,5 from its normal position indicated by dotted line 12 to a position indicated by dotted line 13. Of course the space between rail 1 and the point 5 of rail 3 varies ac cording to the condition of the foundation of the several members, the condition of the connections between the same, the weight alpplied to the at points 9 and 10 and t e velocity of t .e movmg car.

In order to prevent this twisting action upon point 5 of rail 3 I lock the same to rail 1 in the following manner. At 14 I show an arm mounted as an integral part of rail 3 and extending. forwardly of point 5,

curving inwardly toward the web of rail 1 as shown at 15 and soformed and shaped as to engage the under surface 16 of the head of rail 1. With this extension on rail 3 the twisting of point 5 over pivot 8 is entirely overcome, the greater the weights the more tightly the arm 14 will engage the head of rail 1. The switch rail 3 is ust as free to move inwardly and outwardly as before but instead of being looked upon one side only when in an operative position, it is securely locked upon'both sides so that rail point 5 can move only in conjunction with the head of rail 1 and no materialseparationof point 5 from rail 1 can take place. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3 the member 14 is shown as a separate member secured to point 5 of rail 3, one of the bolts forthat purpose being shown at 17.

embodiment of my invention and that- 'changes in form, construction, proportions and method of 0 )eration me he made within the scope of t 1e appends claims.

claim 1. The combination with a head rail and aswitch rail o-perativel mounted, with relation to each other 0 means attached to the point of said switch 'rail and extending under the head of said head rail and engaging the under surface thereof for preventing the angular displacement of one rail with relation to the other.

2. As an article of manufacture, an extension for thepoint of a switch rail comprising an arm having an ofi'set end portion adapted to extend under the head of a head rail when in an operative position with relation thereto and having its upper edge formed to engage the under surface of the head of said head rail.

3. As an article of manufacture. an extenaion for the point ofa switch rail comrising an arm adapted to bexsecured to the ree'end of said rail, said arm having an ofl'set end ortion adapted to extend under the head 0 a head rail when in an operative,

position with relation thereto and having its upper edge formed to engage the under surface of the head of said head rail.

4. The combination with a head rail and a switch rail operatively mounted with relation to each other, of means for preventing the lateral displacement of one rail with relation to the other, and of means attached to the point of said switch rail and extending under the head of said head rail and engaging the under surface thereof, for preventing the angular displacement of one rail with relation to the other.

5. A switch rail having an extension at tached to the point thereof on thc side )posite the head rail, projecting beyond said point and turned in under the head rail.

6. A switch rail having its point turned tinder to engage the under side of the head 'Ibil.

EDMQND P. SCHOLEb'.

age.- 

